Fluid operated damper with nonreleasable cover unit for electromagnetic value

Abstract

A fluid oscillation damper is provided with an electromagnetically controlled valve for varying the damping force of the oscillation damper. The electromagnetically controlled valve is housed within a compartment confined by two housing parts. A first housing part is fastened to a container of the oscillation damper. A second housing part is fastened to the first housing part. Both housing parts are nonreleasably interconnected.

We claim: 
     
       1. A fluid operated oscillation damper with an electromagnetically controlled valve unit for varying the damping force of said oscillation damper, said valve unit comprising a plurality of fluidic and electromagnetic valve unit components, at least part of said fluidic and electromagnetic valve unit components being accommodated within a valve unit compartment of said oscillation damper, said valve unit compartment being confined by compartment confining means, said compartment confining means comprising at least two housing units, one of said housing units being a basic housing unit attached to a part of said oscillation damper, a further one of said housing units being a cover unit attached to said basic housing unit, said cover unit being nonreleasably connected by nonreleasable connection means with said basic housing unit; and said cover unit being partially made of metallic material and partially made of plastics material, said nonreleasable connecting means being provided between said basic housing unit and said metallic material of said cover unit.   
     
     
       2. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 1, said cover unit being connected to said basic housing unit by positively interengaging locking means. 
     
     
       3. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 1, said basic housing unit and said cover unit having respective sleeve-shaped portions overlapping each other in an axial direction along a common axis, said sleeve-shaped portions being connected with each other, one of said sleeve-shaped portions being a radially inner sleeve-shaped portion, and the other one of said sleeve-shaped portions being a radially outer sleeve-shaped portion. 
     
     
       4. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 3, said radially inner sleeve-shaped portion being provided with a circumferential groove within a radially outer surface thereof, said radially outer sleeve-shaped portion being provided with a radially inward displaced circumferential bead engaged into said circumferential groove. 
     
     
       5. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 3, said radially inner sleeve-shaped portion being a part of said basic housing unit, said radially outer sleeve-shaped portion being a part of said cover unit. 
     
     
       6. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 1, sealing means being provided between said basic housing unit and said cover unit, said sealing means being maintained under sealing pressure by said nonreleasable connecting means. 
     
     
       7. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 1, said basic housing unit having tubular shape and being fastened by one of its ends to a container tube member of said oscillation damper, the other end of said tubular basic housing unit being connected to said cover unit. 
     
     
       8. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 1, said basic housing unit and said cover unit having a common axis, said cover unit accommodating an annular electromagnetic coil around said axis and an axially movable armature member inside a central space surrounded by said annular electromagnetic coil. 
     
     
       9. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 8, said electromagnetic coil being provided with ferromagnetic core means toroidally extending around said annular electromagnetic coil, said ferromagnetic core means comprising a ferromagnetic flange portion provided axially between said annular electromagnetic coil and said basic housing unit. 
     
     
       10. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 9, said ferromagnetic core means further comprising a ferromagnetic jacket surrounding said annular electromagnetic coil and integral with a ferromagnetic end wall adjacent an end face of said annular electromagnetic coil remote from said ferromagnetic flange portion, said ferromagnetic jacket providing a portion of said cover unit nonreleasably connected to said basic housing unit. 
     
     
       11. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 10, said ferromagnetic end wall having a central opening axially aligned with said central space, a central ferromagnetic core member being located inside said central opening and extending into said central space, said central opening being closed by a plastics material layer of said cover unit, said plastics material layer covering said ferromagnetic end wall and at least part of said ferromagnetic jacket. 
     
     
       12. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 11, said plastics material layer of said cover unit extending through openings of said ferromagnetic jacket and being integral with a plastics material jacket surrounding said annular electromagnetic coil at least on a radially outer circumferential side thereof. 
     
     
       13. A fluid operates oscillation damper as set forth in claim 12, said plastics material jacket forming together with a radially outward open annular coil carrier a coil housing for said annular electromagnetic coil. 
     
     
       14. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 10, said ferromagnetic flange portion being in axial engagement with a substantially axially directed engagement face of said ferromagnetic jacket. 
     
     
       15. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 14, said ferromagnetic flange portion being maintained in axial engagement with said engagement face by said nonreleasable connecting means. 
     
     
       16. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 9, said ferromagnetic flange portion being axially supported by a valve components housing axially supported by and inside said basic housing unit and open toward said central space such as to expose the valve unit components inside said valve components housing to said armature member. 
     
     
       17. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 16, sealing means being provided for sealing said valve components housing with respect to said ferromagnetic flange portion and said basic housing unit. 
     
     
       18. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 1, said cover unit being provided with pretension application means permitting pretensioning of said cover unit toward said basic housing unit during connecting said cover unit to said basic housing unit. 
     
     
       19. A fluid operated oscillation damper with an electromagnetically controlled valve unit for varying the damping force of said oscillation damper, said valve unit comprising a plurality of fluidic and electromagnetic valve unit components, at least part of said fluidic and electromagnetic valve unit components being accommodated within a valve unit compartment of said oscillation damper, said valve unit compartment being confined by compartment confining means, said compartment confining means comprising at least two housing units, one of said housing units being a basic housing unit attached to a part of said oscillation damper, a further one of said housing units being a cover unit attached to said basic housing unit, said cover unit being nonreleasably connected by nonreleasable connection means with said basic housing unit; said basic housing unit and said cover unit having a common axis, said cover unit accommodating an annular electromagnetic coil around said axis and an axially movable armature member inside a central space surrounded by said annular electromagnetic coil;   said electromagnetic coil being provided with ferromagnetic core means toroidally extending around said annular electromagnetic coil, said ferromagnetic core means comprising a ferromagnetic flange portion provided axially between said annular electromagnetic coil and said basic housing unit; and   said ferromagnetic core means further comprising a ferromagnetic jacket surrounding said annular electromagnetic coil and integral with a ferromagnetic end wall adjacent an end face of said annular electromagnetic coil remote from said ferromagnetic flange portion, said ferromagnetic jacket providing a portion of said cover unit nonreleasably connected to said basic housing unit.   
     
     
       20. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said cover unit being connected to said basic housing unit by positively interengaging locking means. 
     
     
       21. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said basic housing unit and said cover unit having respective sleeve-shaped portions overlapping each other in an axial direction along a common axis, said sleeve-shaped portions being connected with each other, one of said sleeve-shaped portions being a radially inner sleeve-shaped portion, and the other one of said sleeve-shaped portions being a radially outer sleeve-shaped portion. 
     
     
       22. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 21, said radially inner sleeve-shaped portion being provided with a circumferential groove within a radially outer surface thereof, said radially outer sleeve-shaped portion being provided with a radially inward displaced circumferential bead engaged into said circumferential groove. 
     
     
       23. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 21, said radially inner sleeve-shaped portion being a part of said basic housing unit, said radially outer sleeve-shaped portion being a part of said cover unit. 
     
     
       24. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, sealing means being provided between said basic housing unit and said cover unit, said sealing means being maintained under sealing pressure by said nonreleasable connecting means. 
     
     
       25. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said basic housing unit having tubular shape and being fastened by one of its ends to a container tube member of said oscillation damper, the other end of said tubular basic housing unit being connected to said cover unit. 
     
     
       26. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said cover unit being partially made of metallic material and partially made of plastics material, said nonreleasable connecting means being provided between said basic housing unit and said metallic material of said cover unit. 
     
     
       27. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said ferromagnetic end wall having a central opening axially aligned with said central space, a central ferromagnetic core member being located inside said central opening and extending into said central space, said central opening being closed by a plastics material layer of said cover unit, said plastics material layer covering said ferromagnetic end wall and at least part of said ferromagnetic jacket. 
     
     
       28. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 27, said plastics material layer of said cover unit extending through openings of said ferromagnetic jacket and being integral with a plastics material jacket surrounding said annular electromagnetic coil at least on a radially outer circumferential side thereof. 
     
     
       29. A fluid operates oscillation damper as set forth in claim 28, said plastics material jacket forming together with a radially outward open annular coil carrier a coil housing for said annular electromagnetic coil. 
     
     
       30. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said ferromagnetic flange portion being in axial engagement with a substantially axially directed engagement face of said ferromagnetic jacket. 
     
     
       31. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 30, said ferromagnetic flange portion being maintained in axial engagement with said engagement face by said nonreleasable connecting means. 
     
     
       32. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said ferromagnetic flange portion being axially supported by a valve components housing axially supported by and inside said basic housing unit and open toward said central space such as to expose the valve unit components inside said valve components housing to said armature member. 
     
     
       33. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 32, sealing means being provided for sealing said valve components housing with respect to said ferromagnetic flange portion and said basic housing unit. 
     
     
       34. A fluid operated oscillation damper as set forth in claim 19, said cover unit being provided with pretension application means permitting pretensioning of said cover unit toward said basic housing unit during connecting said cover unit to said basic housing unit.